Thomas, Leishman tied at the top

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Numbers were being circled on scorecards at every turn of the head during Friday’s second round of The Northern Trust, which only made the frustration level that much higher for a pair of heavyweights, Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas. Neither could shift into drive at Liberty National Golf Club in the Playoffs opener. But at least DeChambeau, 1-under through 11 holes, had it in neutral. His playing competitor, Thomas couldn’t even do that. One day after opening with a sizzling 8-under 63, he was 3-over for his first eight holes. “I had no clubface control,” said Thomas, who missed the fairway with five of his first six drives, though give him credit, he was fair to fans on both sides of the course. “I started missing it left, missing it right.” Fortunately, Thomas had the luxury of a wonderful Thursday score to fuel his engines and offer comfort that things can change in a hurry with these lads. “I was patient. I still wasn’t forcing anything,” said Thomas. “I know I can make a lot of birdies, that it’s still early in the tournament.” Turning to play Liberty National’s front nine, fortunes changed in a hurry as DeChambeau played the last seven holes in 5-under to shoot 65, while Thomas played his last five in 5-under to get home in 69. Nowhere did the explosive finishes resonate more loudly than at the 612-yard, par-5 eighth hole when Thomas matched DeChambeau’s eagle in a sequence of shots that had them smiling and high-fiving one another. It was a more improbable eagle for DeChambeau, who drove it in rough right of the fairway and laid up to about 60 yards. The wedge was perfect, finding the bottom of the jar on the third hop. More conventional, but equally impressive was Thomas’ second shot from 286 yards that came to rest 12 feet from the hole. “I hit 5-wood. We didn’t think it had any chance of getting it up (onto the green). The play was just to try to hit it in that far right bunker,” said Thomas, who wasn’t about to chastise himself for being wrong. His 5-wood was enough club, and his eagle putt was pure, and the pleasantries were on. “We were just joking,” said Thomas, who had initiated a conversation up to the green with DeChambeau after the hole-out. Then came the matching eagle and even more smiles and more chatter. “After I made my putt, we looked at each other and said, ‘Good halve,’ ” laughed Thomas, who took note of the sprint in his playing competitor’s step. “He definitely had some fun the last two holes hitting driver.” Pushing to 10-under 132, Thomas was within two of Tony Finau’s clubhouse lead, while DeChambeau got to 6-under 132, which will be a half-dozen off the lead, but a vast improvement from where he had been a short while earlier. “I’ve always been pretty good at changing things on the fly, or at least making something work,” said Thomas. “Finally did on those last five or six holes.”

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR today announced that IMG Arena, IMG’s leading sports betting service and content hub, will distribute official PGA TOUR scoring data for media usage and sports betting purposes. Under a significant multi-year agreement, IMG Arena will distribute official PGA TOUR data to sports media companies, news services and other media organizations worldwide. Further, IMG Arena will have the exclusive right to distribute official data and selected live video of PGA TOUR competitions to international regulated sports betting and gaming markets. The PGA TOUR’s official data is collected through its proprietary ShotLink® system powered by CDW. With an elaborate network of walking scorers, lasers and greenside cameras, ShotLink collects and distributes a rich set of data points from each shot in PGA TOUR competition in real time. Utilizing the ShotLink data, IMG Arena is developing a range of innovative golf products that will provide PGA TOUR fans with new and exciting ways to enjoy the sport. The PGA TOUR’s relationship with IMG Arena will support the PGA TOUR’s Integrity Program, which was implemented earlier this year to protect the PGA TOUR from sports betting related corruption. The official data provided by IMG Arena will deliver fans the most timely, accurate and reliable source of information for betting purposes, all verified by the PGA TOUR. Further, IMG Arena, will be responsible for providing the highest standard of security and data protection and ensuring proper controls to prevent the unauthorized use of information by outlets licensing PGA TOUR data. “This is a very important step for the PGA TOUR in terms of engaging our fans, serving our players and enhancing our Integrity Program,� said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Creating a bigger, more diverse, more engaged fan base around the world is key to any league’s success, and sports betting is part of how we plan to do that.�
 “The global sports betting market’s access to official data has revolutionized the in-play sports betting experience,� said Freddie Longe, Managing Director at IMG Arena. “We see golf as a sleeping giant. It is one of few major sports that doesn’t yet offer consistent in-play betting markets. The PGA TOUR is an undisputed leader in golf and we feel this long-term partnership will allow us to work hand in hand to grow the game and protect the sport via the launch of a truly innovative digital experience that captures the next generation of sports betting and entertainment.�  

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As expected, there were more tumbles, stumbles and complete somersaults on the Sunday leaderboard at The Honda Classic than there were ripples along the waters that guard so many of the holes at PGA National's often ferocious Champion layout. RELATED: Final leaderboard | What’s in Jones’ bag? Of course, there seemingly is always an outlier in the crowd. This week at Honda, that was Matt Jones. The well-tested veteran from Australia started Sunday on top by three shots and despite all the tumult around him, he never did budge, never did give in. It was as if he took the strongest rope he could find and tethered himself to the largest rock he could find in the nearby Atlantic Ocean. With the exception of a brief spell on Friday night, the 40-year-old Jones held some sort of ownership of the lead most of the week at Honda. He pretty much just shrugged his shoulders after shooting a record-tying 61 to open, trailed by three on Friday night after his 70, and had the lead again when he went to bed Saturday. By Sunday night, having closed with a technically-sound round of 2-under 68 to push his way to 12-under 268, five shots clear of his nearest pursuer, he'd earned the beautiful crystal trophy he would hold. It had been a while since tasting victory on this side of the pond. Honda was Jones' second PGA TOUR title, adding to the 2014 Vivint Houston Open. Brandon Hagy, an alternate to start the week, battled back after shooting 76 on Saturday to shoot 66 on Sunday and climb all the way into solo second at 7 under. It was a career-best finish for Hagy, arriving on the Californian's 30th birthday. He finished hours ahead of Jones, who on this week resided in a stratosphere all his own. Jones' experience in the wind - he owns two Australian Open titles - showed up on the weekend in the way he flighted his golf ball. It also showed in the way he carried himself. It was well, different. In his 330th career TOUR start, he said he felt the calmest he ever has felt. And after one last par putt fell at 18, Jones got emotional. "I mean, golf ... it's a very tough sport we play out here," Jones said. "It's very cutthroat. We're working to keep our jobs every year. And you have to perform well to be able to do that. It's been seven years since I won, and there have been some lean years in there." When Jones won his first title in Houston seven years ago, he holed a long pitch to prevail in a playoff over Matt Kuchar. He had holed a 45-foot putt at the 72nd hole just to earn his spot. He was catching lightning. This time around, even on one of the TOUR's most demanding tests, things were much easier. His hair is sprinkled with gray for a reason; his seasoning showed in how he managed a golf course that has potential disaster awaiting at every corner. A day after scrambling to a 1-under 69 in the wind, Jones hit 17 of 18 greens and kept giving himself quality birdie looks. He made easy pars, and five birdies. Nobody matched his total of 20 birdies for the week. "I'm wondering why this guy isn't a household name," said NBC's Paul Azinger, admiring the ballstriking display he was witnessing. Jones, now an Arizona resident who works via Facetime with coach Gary Barter back in Australia, said he had felt something coming with his ballstriking. It wasn't too off at Bay Hill, where he missed the cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard two weeks ago. At THE PLAYERS, as he worked on his craft on the practice tee, it clicked. The man with one victory in 329 career TOUR starts confided to a friend that something very good was about to happen at PGA National. As others around him staggered into doubles and triples and penalty areas on the weekend, how was it that Jones remained so calm? He smiled when asked the question. He really doesn't know the "why" of it. Sunday, when Jones made the rare mistake - a three-putt at the seventh, a short miss for par at 11 - he also had an answer. Birdies at the 12th and 13th holes pushed him to a five-shot lead. He treated the ever-lurking Bear Trap (holes 15-17) as if it were a small and harmless cub. Par. Birdie. Par. When his ball he struck with a wedge safely crossed water and hit land on the rugged par-3 17th, he pumped his right fist. Jones really enjoyed the walk up the last. For the second consecutive round he was the lone player in the final six pairings to break 70. All the while, he was so calm. "I couldn't put anything on it. I probably had a goal this week to walk a little slower, and just relax," Jones said. "I'm normally an up-pace, up-tempo person. I play golf quickly. So I tried to stay calm and stay relaxed out there. You have to be when you play this golf course. I set that as a goal this week, and it worked out." It did. Jones was going to take three weeks off after Honda, but now he will be getting ready for his second Masters in Augusta, Ga. The only other one he played was a whirlwind, as he'd won in Houston on the Sunday leading into the tournament to become the last man in. The week remains a blur. He'll take his time and enjoy this visit. There's also the two-year PGA TOUR exemption, and starts in other big tournaments that he wasn't able to play as a golfer ranked 83rd in the world. Jones even mentioned the Olympics as a possibility, and maybe even making his first Presidents Cup team. So many possibilities. Amazing how one week can change a golfer's life. Over four days at Honda, and after seven lean years, Matt Jones had earned every inch of it.

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